Concrètes

Concrètes are a genre of experimental music that emerged in the mid-20th century. The term "musique concrète" was coined by French composer Pierre Schaeffer in 1948. This musical approach is characterized by the use of recorded sound as its raw material. Instead of traditional musical instruments, composers work with sounds sourced from the real world, such as environmental noises, spoken words, or even industrial sounds.

These recorded sounds are then manipulated through various techniques. This can include cutting, splicing, looping, reversing, altering pitch and speed, and combining them in novel ways to create new sonic textures and compositions. The goal is not necessarily to represent reality but to explore the inherent musical qualities of everyday sounds. Early pioneers like Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Henry used turntables and magnetic tape recorders to achieve these transformations.

Over time, the techniques and technologies available to musique concrète composers have evolved significantly. The advent of digital audio workstations and samplers has made sound manipulation far more accessible and sophisticated. While the term "concrètes" specifically refers to the early French movement, its influence can be seen in many contemporary forms of electronic music, sound art, and electroacoustic music, where the manipulation of recorded sound remains a central creative principle.